Battle of White Plains

The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776 in the area surrounding White Plains, New York.

Prelude

At the end of September 1776, Washington's army held only a small position on the northern tip of Manhattan Island. Howe was determined to outflank the American positions with a landing at Throgs Neck.

In order to prevent himself from being surrounded, Washington withdrew his main army to White Plains when the British landing began. [Lengel p.161] A garrison of 1,200 men was left to defend Fort Washington. [Lengel p.161] Howe's army followed Washington via New Rochelle and up the Bronx River.

Washington halted his army and chose a position near White Plains that he fortified with two lines of entrenchments.cite book |last= Greene |first= Francis Vinton | title= The Revolutionary War and the Military Policy of the United States |publisher= Charles Scribner's Sons |year= 1911 | url = http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=6248065Greene, Page 52.] The trenches were situated on raised terrain, protected on the right by the swampy ground near the Bronx River. The American defenses were 3 miles long. Beyond that, on the right, was Chatterton's Hill, which commanded the plain over which the British would have to advance. The hill was occupied by John Haslet's 1st Delaware Regiment, with two cannon, and supported by another brigade, in total about 1,600 men.

Order of battle

British Formations:
* (British)
** Second Brigade
*** 5th. Regiment of Foot
*** 28th. Regiment of Foot
*** 35th. Regiment of Foot
*** 49th. Regiment of Foot
*** 16th. Light Dragoons
* (Hessians)
** Lossberg's Brigade
*** Regiment von Lossberg
*** Regiment von Donop
*** 5th. Grenadier Battalion
** Rall's Brigade
*** Regiment von Rall
*** 12th. Jager Regiment
*** 7th. Grenadier BattalionAmerican Formations:
* (Continental Army)
** Spencer’s Brigade (New England)
*** Learned's Regiment (Massachusetts)
*** Read's Regiment (Massachusetts)
*** Walker's Regiment (Massachusetts)
*** 2nd. Connecticut Regiment
*** 6th. Connecticut Regiment
*** 8th. Connecticut Regiment
** Haslet's Brigade
*** Haslet’s Delaware Regiment
*** McDougall’s 1st New York
*** Ritzema’s 3rd New York
*** Smallwood’s Maryland Regiment
*** Webb’s Connecticut Regiment
* (State Militia)
** Brook’s New York Militia
** Graham’s Massachusetts Militia

Battle

While Washington was inspecting the terrian, seeing where it was best to station his troops, he ran into several light horseman and told him that the British were advancing. [Lengel p.162] Washington rode back to camp to prepare his men. He quickly stationed a couple hundred Continentals and a couple of artillery pieces onto Chatterton Hill, to support the militia. [Lengel p.162] The skirmishers, who had the job of slowing the British advance, retired soon after Washington reinforced Chatterton Hill. [Lengel p.162]

Although the British outnumbered the Americans, Howe did not think it was wise to launch an attack on the main American position until they had taken Chatterton Hill. How sent two columns to attack it. One was a brigade of Germans led by Johan Rall, and the other, was the German Lossberg Regiment. [Lengel p.162] In total, the force numbered about 4,000 men.

The Germans under to command of Rall, defeated the militia on the crest of the hill, and the militia ran. [Lengel p.162] The Lossberg Regiment attacked directly up the hill, but were stopped by heavy fire from the Americans. [Lengel p.162] Two British regiments came in support of the Germans, and charged up the hill, but the Americans counter-attacked, driving them back down. [Lengel p.162] The British once again assaulted, this time wielding their bayonets, and the Continentals, deserted by the Militia, retreated. [Lengel p.163]

Aftermath

While the battle was a victory for the British, Howe refused to interfere with the American withdrawal, letting slip yet another opportunity to capture Washington and much of the Continental army and in the process suffering heavier casualties than the Americans.

Legacy

Each year on or near the anniversary date, the [http://www.whiteplainshistory.org/ White Plains Historical Society] hosts a commemoration of the event at the Jacob Purdy House in White Plains, New York. Two ships in the United States Navy, CVE-66 and AFS-4, were named for the Battle of White Plains. [cite web | title = Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships -- "White Plains"
url = http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w7/white_plains-ii.htm | accessdate = 2007-08-11 ]

Notes

References

*cite book |last= Greene |first= Francis Vinton | title= The Revolutionary War and the Military Policy of the United States |publisher= Charles Scribner's Sons |year= 1911 | url = http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=6248065
*cite book|last=Lengel|first=Edward|authorid=Edward G. Lengel|title=General George Washington|location=New York|publisher=Random House Paperbacks|year=2005|isbn=

External links

* [http://theamericanrevolution.org/battles/bat_wpla.asp The Battle of White Plains]
* [http://www.whiteplainshistory.org/ White Plains Historical Society]